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bellx15

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Type 2
Just back from the GP with a diagnosis of type 2 - I measured 13.1 blood glucose, and it seems to be staying up there. I'm not overweight, but I don't get much exercise and I drink quite a bit. So I am going on a three-week exercise, alcohol free, regime to see what effect it has. Last time I did that it dropped quickly. I am 61yo but very fit and healthy (living testament to the adage that 60 is the new 40! :D)- just sitting in front of a PC monitor all day, as I teach for the OU.

Any suggestions please regarding a blood glucose monitor? There are plenty of them out there, but I seem to have no way to choose.

Many thanks. By all means email me if you wish.

Brian
 
Hi Brian, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but good to see that you have found us so quickly. Exercise will certainly help - I know that if I do not exercise regularly then my medication requirements increase a great deal. If you got to http://www.abbottdiabetescare.co.uk/free-meter-signup you can get a free meter from Abbott, but it is the test strips that are the major expense, so ideally you should try and persuade your GP to prescribe some. Most meters are very high quality - Accu Chek, One Touch, Abbott, Contour will all offer similar facilities and accuracy. I personally use and Accu Chek Aviva. I'd recommend reading Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S as a good approach to testing, and also Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter for a good introduction to Type 2 diabetes and what it all means. Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker is also highly recommended reading - plenty to be going on with there!

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and we'll try our best to help out. Bear in mind that good diabetes management is all about carbohydrates, not just sugar, so you need to learn how your body copes with different types and quantities of carbs. I look frward to hearing more from you 🙂
 
Hi Northerner!

Many thanks for all of that immediate information. I'll follow it up.

I should explain that by 'diagnosed' I mean my GP got some blood test results back and talked to me about them today. He said I am definitely in the diabetic range. This happened before, last year, and I got it back down again very quickly. I told him I would try to change my habits over the next three weeks and then have a retest.

Why am I looking for a monitor? I think primarily because I find the reading I got today unbelievable. I don't have any symptoms, and at that level last year I had very clear symptoms. Just wanted to check. I don't envisage the monitor as being in constant use, so maybe the strips will not turn out to be too much of an expense.

Thanks

Brian
 
Welcome to the forums Brian🙂

I'm guessing your 13.1 is a spot blood test and not an HbA1c. You might want to try getting your GP to do the HbA1c as that will indicate what your average blood glucose has been like.
 
Thanks, Mark!

Yes, he has lined up a FBS and an HbA1c for me to go and have taken in a few weeks, after cutting back on the alcohol and doing some regular exercise.

I am already aware of how dramatically my FBS changes after a couple of weeks of exercise.
 
Hi Brian. Welcome 🙂

Sound advice already.

Alcohol is a sure fire bet for fat deposition around your organs. Pure calories. If you can do as advised, you'll feel like a new man I'm sure.🙂

Loving your employer's work. :D

Rob
 
Hi Rob -

so you are doing a module? What are you studying?

Brian

By the way - I am in N. Wales too (Abergele).
 
Hi Brian and a warm welcome to the forum
 
Hello Brian, welcome. I found cutting the carbs and some walking soon began to lower my readings.
 
Thanks everyone - I feel thoroughly welcome here, which is just as well as my marriage is not doing so well. I prefer to air these things rather than keep them to myself, as that somehow relieves the stress of people not knowing. I am going through some emotional turmoil at the moment. Not pleasant.

Oh well, back to the topic.

Can anyone please let me know more about carbohydrates? What changes would be beneficial? Thanks.

PS I bought a tester yesterday and managed to get it working this morning, despite discovering that the lancets don't come with the kit, and need a prescription. A small sewing needle did the job instead.

My fasting blood glucose level this morning was 11.6

Can I get that down by reducing alcohol and doing some (yes any!) exercise? I have been a regular drinker and do no exercise at all, so my guess is there is quite some scope for improvement on those fronts. I am not significantly overweight, though. Just a bit thick in the middle.
 
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bellx15 said:
Can anyone please let me know more about carbohydrates? What changes would be beneficial? Thanks.

PS I bought a tester yesterday and managed to get it working this morning, despite discovering that the lancets don't come with the kit, and need a prescription. A small sewing needle did the job instead.

My fasting blood glucose level this morning was 11.6

Can I get that down by reducing alcohol and doing some (yes any!) exercise? I have been a regular drinker and do no exercise at all, so my guess is there is quite some scope for improvement on those fronts. I am not significantly overweight, though. Just a bit thick in the middle.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about your current difficulties with your marriage Brian. Unfortunately, stress can also have an effect on blood sugar levels, although exercise is a great stress-reliever so should really help! Combined with a cessation of alcohol intake you should hopefully begin to feel much healthier and hopefully things at home will improve also 🙂

Regarding carbs, many people advocate the GI/GL approach to diet (Glycaemic Index/Load), as this describes how to select and combine foods that will release their energy slowly and steadily and have less impact on your blood glucose levels. A good introduction is The GL Diet for Dummies. 🙂
 
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